Photo credit: www.yahoo.com
At least four individuals have lost their lives and over 500 have sustained injuries following a substantial explosion at a port close to Bandar Abbas, a city in southern Iran, according to reports from state media.
The incident occurred at the Shahid Rajaee port on Saturday morning, resulting in shattered windows in surrounding office buildings and the collapse of a building roof.
Video footage captured during the explosion reveals people fleeing from the docks, along with others left injured on the streets. There are concerning reports of individuals trapped beneath collapsed structures.
A significant fire continues to rage at the container terminal, with images showing large plumes of black smoke rising from the scene.
Emergency services have mobilized helicopter units to combat the flames, while medical personnel are swiftly transporting the injured to local hospitals.
Emergency crews are vigorously attending to the wounded [Reuters]
Officials have indicated that some workers remain trapped beneath the debris, emphasizing their ongoing rescue efforts, as reported to local media by BBC Persian.
Online videos depict individuals taking cover at the moment of the blast, followed by frantic evacuations from the vicinity.
People hurriedly moving away from Shahid Rajaee port post-explosion [Reuters]
Witness accounts suggest that the explosion was triggered after a fire, which spread to unsecured containers that likely housed flammable materials, potentially chemicals.
A crisis management official noted that “the source of this incident was the explosion of several containers stored in the Shahid Rajaee Port wharf area.”
One analytical firm posited that the affected containers may have contained solid fuel intended for Iranian missile systems.
According to Ambrey Intelligence, a global maritime risk consultancy, the fire likely stemmed from the “improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel meant for Iranian ballistic missiles.”
The firm reported that at the time of the explosion, 12 merchant vessels were located within five nautical miles of the site, with seven of those docked at the port.
A motorist with a shattered windshield amid the traffic fleeing from the port area [Getty Images]
Shahid Rajaee port serves as Iran’s largest commercial harbor, positioned on the southern coast near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical conduit for oil shipments.
Situated approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan province, the port holds significant importance.
Iran’s national oil production authority has stated that the explosion holds “no connection” to any of the country’s oil refineries, fuel tanks, or pipelines, as reported by local media.
The blast was so powerful that residents reported hearing and feeling it from distances of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) away.
In response to the tragedy, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his “deep regret and sympathy” for the victims and announced the initiation of a government investigation.
Iranian state television covering the significant explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran. [Getty Images]
[BBC]
Source
www.yahoo.com